Kick putt device

ABSTRACT

A kick putt playing device intended for utilization with a regular golf ball or the like for putting the ball along a playing surface by a kicking action of the player on the device which includes an elongated shaft member having a handle connected to the top portion thereof adapted for grasping in the hands of the player with the shaft having a ball striking member pivotally connected at the bottom end thereof in a manner for a player to position the bottom end of the shaft immediately behind the golf ball and aligned with the direction of desired travel for the golf ball such that by a kicking type motion of the back of the striking member it will pivot forwardly of the shaft in a manner to strike and propell the golf ball in the desired direction, after which a resilient rubber band connected between the shaft and the striking member returns the striking member to the initial position ready for further usage by the player.

United States Patent 1 1 Conrad KICK PUTT DEVICE [76] Inventor: Frank Conrad, 11 F Birchwood Dr.,

Forestville, Conn. 06010 [22] Filed: June 18, 1973 [21] Appl. No.: 371,176

[52] US. Cl. 273/67 R, 124/1, 273/129 [51] Int. Cl A63b 59/00 [58] Field of Search 273/67 R, 85 C, 127 R, 273/127 D, 129 R129 A; 124/1, 4, 6, 17

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,106,625 l/l938 Bodgc 273/129 R 2,383,210 8/1945 Patterson 1. 124/4 2,719,716 10/1955 Sawtellc 273/129 R 2,801,854 8/1957 Trudeau 273/127 R 2,826,417 3/1958 Marcoccio 273/129 A 2,921,792 l/l960 Guss 273/127 R X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 23,619 10/1910 Great Britain .1 273/129 866,698 5/1941 France 273/129 Aug. 13, 1974 Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Richard J. Apley 5 7 ABSTRACT A kick putt playing device intended for utilization with a regular golf ball or the like for putting the ball along a playing surface by a kicking action of the player on the device which includes an elongated shaft member having a handle connected to the top portion thereof adapted for grasping in the hands of the player with the shaft having a ball striking member pivotally connected at the bottom end thereof in a manner for a player to position the bottom end of the shaft immediately behind the golf ball and aligned with the direction of desired travel for the golf ball such that by a kicking type motion of the back of the striking member it will pivot forwardly of the shaft in a manner to strike and propell the golf ball in the desired direction, after which a resilient rubber band connected between the shaft and the striking member returns the striking member to the initial position ready for further usage by the player.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Ikk KICK PUTT DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to game devices and more particularly to a playing device for use with a regular golf ball or the like for striking and propelling the ball in a putting manner along a playing surface by a kicking action of the player on the device.

2. Description of the Prior Art The sport of golf is one of the most popular and most participated in sports in the United States today due to the fact that it provides a recreational game that may be played by persons of any age, regardless of any lack of athlethic prowess. Accordingly, the prior art discloses various types of clubs intended for use by a golfer to more accurately control the direction of travel of the ball, all of such devices utilizing a hand con trolled swinging movement of the club relative to the ball.

Further, it is acknowledged that golfers enjoy putting practice along with associated types of practice to increase their skills and expertise in controlling the direction of travel of the ball from its position of rest into a golf cup or the like representing a hole on a green. However, such golfers often become bored with simple putting practice, and as such the prior art discloses different games and rules to keep the golfers interest, with all requiring putting in substantially the standard method.

Prior art devices are thus all directed generally along the same conventional lines, and it would thus be desirable to provide a novel device utilizing a golf ball or the like in a manner requiring a different type of action on the part of a player utilizing the device to propell the ball in the desired direction to provide a new type of challenge to the player.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a playing device for a game wherein a golf ball or the like is putted along a playing surface by a kicking action of a player on the device.

It is a feature of the invention to provide a new and novel game utilizing a playing device that provides greater control of ball travel as to distance and direction by a kicking action of the player so that all players start equal in skills regardless of the individual players skills on a normal golf course utilizing a normal golf club.

A further feature of the invention is to provide a new and novel playing device providing direct line of sight movement ofa portion of the playing device relative to the golf ball for propelling the ball in the desired direction.

Still a further feature of the invention provides a game device adapted to be played with equal expertise by players of all ages regardless of athletic abilities providing a family type game equally enjoyed by all members of varying ages in the family.

The provision of a kick putt playing device for play ing a game utilizing a regular golf ball or the like in a manner of striking and propelling the ball in a putting manner along a playing surface, such as briefly outlined above, and possessing the stated advantages, constitutes the principal features of the present invention.

The provision of a putting device which is simple in its construction and which therefor may be readily manufactured at a low cost and by simple manufacturing methods; one which is rugged and durable and which therefor may be guaranteed by the manufacturer to withstand rough usage; one which is aesthetically pleasing and refined in appearance; and one which, otherwise, is well adapted to perform the services required of it, are further desirable features which have been borne in mind in the production and development of the present invention.

Other features and advantages of this invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like reference characters are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view representing a player in the act of using the playing device ofthe present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the back of the playing device;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary exploded perspective view of the back of the bottom end portion of the playing device;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the playing device illustrating the kicked position of the striking member in phantom configuration; and

FIG. 5 is a back elevational view of the playing device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings it is seen that reference numeral 10 generally designates the playing device in its entirety which is manufactured out of metal, wood, plastic, or any other suitable satisfactory material providing an aesthetically pleasing and refined appear ance. Further, it is to be understood that the playing device may be manufactured in a variety or combination of colors or decorative designs to make the same more appealing to the player along with permitting ease of identification of the playing device of one player from the playing device of another player.

Referring to the drawings, the playing device 10 comprises a shaft 11, a handle 25, and a ball striking member 40 adapted to be kicked by a player 27.

The shaft is generally designated by reference numeral 11 and consists of three adjacent lengths of rectangular boards 12-14 secured together in side-by-side relationship in any convenient known manner, such as by gluing, so as to provide the shaft with a top end 15,

a bottom end 16, opposed side edges 17 and 18, a back surface 19, and a front surface 20. It is to be understood that an alternative construction would be to manufacture the shaft 11 out of a single plank of material rather than individual planks 12-14 to arrive at the same general overall configuration.

A handle 25 of cylindrical configuration is connected to the back surface 19 of the shaft 11 at the top end portion thereof and extends transversely to the longitudinal axis of the shaft in a manner projecting transversely outwardly from each of the side edges 17 and 18 to provide gripping portions adapted to be grasped in the hands of a player, such as illustrated by player 27 in FIG. 1. While the handle is described as being cylindrical in shape, it is to be understood that the handle may be of any other suitable shape satisfactory for connection with the shaft 11 and provided with suitably shaped gripping portions for use by the player.

Planks 12 and 14 are longer in length than center plank 13 in order to provide a rectangular opening defined between the bottom end 31 of plank 13 and in wardly facing side surfaces 32 and 33 of planks 12 and 14 respectively such that the bottom end 16 of shaft 11 is bifurcated in configuration with the bottom end portions of planks 12 and 14 defining transversely spaced parallelly extending leg portions 34 and 35 respectively. Each ofleg portions 34 and 35 include a peg-like member 37 extending longitudinally downwardly therefrom in a manner to support the shaft 11 on a suitable playing surface, or alternatively, should the playing surface be on turf or other readily penetrable type of ground, to permit the pegs to be partially inserted into the playing surface to positively retain the shaft 11 in the desired position on the playing surface.

A ball striking member is generally designated by reference numeral 40 and is generally ofa size and configuration to be received firmly within opening 30 of shaft 11. The striking member 40 includes a body member which is preferably rectangular in configuration of a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the shaft 11 and having a top end 41, a bottom end 42, a back surface 43, a front surface 44, and opposed side edges and 46. Attached to the back surface 43 ofthe body member near the bottom end 42 thereofis a cylindrical kicking member fixedly connected thereto and extending rearwardly therefrom perpendicular to the plane of the body member and having a kicking surface 51 at the outermost free end thereof adapted for kicking engagement with a foot of the player 27.

The striking member 40 is mounted in opening 30 for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the shaft 11, such axis being provided by a transversely extending opening in the body member of the striking member extending between side edges 45 and 46 thereof, and a pair of axially aligned openings 61 and 62 provided in the upper portions of leg portions 34 and 35, opening 61 extending transversely through plank 14 between side edges 18 and 33 with opening 62 extending transversely through plank 12 between side edges 17 and 32. The opening 60 of the striking member 40 is axially aligned between openings 61 and 62 and then pivotally secured in position by a pivot pin 65 extended through the three coaxially aligned openings 60-62 providing the transverse pivotal axis of movement of the striking member.

The striking member 40 is received in opening 30 with a sufficient gap between the top end 41 of the striking member and the bottom end 31 of the plank 13 to provide clearance for swinging movement of the striking member, such gap being generally designated by reference numeral 48.

To retain the striking member 40 in a normal rest position where the body member is substantially coplanar with the shaft 11 there is provided a rubber band I encircling leg portions 34 and 35 and striking member 40 in a position intermediate the pivot pin 65 and the kicking member 50. Thus, any time the player moves the striking member 40 pivotally about its axis out of the plane of shaft 11, the rubber band 70 will urge the return of the striking member into the initial rest position upon the player removing the force from the striking member.

In operation, the player 27 places the playing device 10 immediately behind a ball to be propelled thereby, such as a regular golf ball generally designated by reference numeral 80. The player holds the playing device to support the same in a vertical direction and then aligns the plane of the shaft 11 in a direction perpendicular to the desired direction of travel of the ball with the front surface 44 of the striking member 40 disposed immediately adjacent the surface of the ball so that the playing device is aligned in a direct line-of-sight manner with the target or golf cup or the like which the player wishes to propel] the ball into or through. After properly aligning the playing device 10, and if possible due to the characteristics of the playing surface, the player presses downwardly on the vertical playing device 10 to engage pegs 37 into the playing surface to positively retain the playing device in the desired position. The player then kicks the kicking member 50 forcing the striking member 40 to pivot forwardly of the front surface 20 of the shaft 11 to strike the ball 80 and propell the ball along the playing surface in the desired direction, the distance and velocity of the traveling ball being determined by the force of the kick applied by the player. The rubber band 70 then returns the striking member 40 to the initial rest position with the player moving the playing device 10 to a new position for further usage.

Thus the present invention provides a novel playing device whereby the player putts a golf ball along a playing surface by a kicking type action, the alignment of the playing device determining the direction of travel of the ball thereawayfrom with the force of the players kick determining the distance traveled by the ball along the playing surface.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that this invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawings or described in this specification as various changes in the details of construction as to shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of the novel concepts thereof, or the scope of the sub-joined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. A playing device for use with a regular golf ball or the like for striking and propelling the ball in a putting manner along a playing surface, the playing device comprising: I a substantially elongated shaft member having a top end, a bottom end, opposed side edges, 21 front surface, and a back surface;

a handle connected to the top portion of the shaft near the top end thereof in a manner substantially parallel to the plane of the shaft and extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the shaft in a manner to project outwardly beyond each side edge of the shaft a sufficient distance to be grasped in the hands of a player,

the bottom end portion of the shaft being bifurcated to form a central opening with an open bottom end, the opening defined between a pair of transversely spaced apart elongated leg portions adapted to support the playing device on a playing surface;

an elongated ball striking member having a front surface with a ball striking face portion thereon, a back surface, a top end, and a bottom end, the ball striking member being pivotally connected at its top end by a pivot pin extending between the leg portions through the opening, the striking member extending substantially parallel to the legs when at rest and adapted to be pivotally moved to a position angled forwardly of the front surface of the shaft by a kicking type motion of the players foot upon the back surface of the striking member; and

resilient means connected between the leg portions and the striking member in a position between the pivot pin and the ball striking face portion urging the striking member into the rest position so as to return the striking member to the rest position after each time it is kicked by a player.

2. A putting device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shaft is of an elongated rectangular shape, the striking member is of an elongated rectangular shape having a thickness substantially the same as the thickness of the shaft and, in a rest position, lying substantially coplanar with the plane of the shaft, the striking member pivotally attached near its top end portion between the leg portions by a pivot pin extending transversely of the shaft and extending through the leg portions and striking member to permit pivotal swinging type movement of the striking member between a rest position and a forwardly kicked swinging position.

3. The playing device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the resilient means is a rubber band disposed about the leg portions and passing over the front and back surface of the striking member, the rubber band positioned transversely of the shaft and disposed between the axis of pivoting of the striking member and the bottom end of the striking member so as to always urge the striking member into a rest position co-planar with the shaft after being kicked by the player.

4. The playing device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the striking member further includes a kicking member connected to the back surface of the striking member and extending substantially perpendicular thereto a short distance for engagement by a foot of the player to effect the swinging pivotal movement of the striking member.

5. The playing device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the kicking member is cylindrical in shape and includes a kicking surface thereon formed on the outermost end of the kicking member, the kicking surface being substantially parallel to the plane of the striking member.

6. The playing device as claimed in claim 5 further characterized by each of the leg\portions having a peg of a relatively small diameter projecting longitudinally outwardly from the bottom end thereof adapted to support the playing device in a positive manner on the playing surface in a manner resisting movement of the shaft upon kicking of the striking member by the player. 

1. A playing device for use with a regular golf ball or the like for striking and propelling the ball in a putting manner along a playing surface, the playing device comprising: a substantially elongated shaft member having a top end, a bottom end, opposed side edges, a front surface, and a back surface; a handle connected to the top portion of the shaft near the top end thereof in a manner substantially parallel to the plane of the shaft and extending transversely to the longitudinal axis of the shaft in a manner to project outwardly beyond each side edge of the shaft a sufficient distance to be grasped in the hands of a player; the bottom end portion of the shaft being bifurcated to form a central opening with an open bottom end, the opening defined between a pair of transversely spaced apart elongated leg portions adapted to support the playing device on a playing surface; an elongated ball striking member having a front surface with a ball striking face portion thereon, a back surface, a top end, and a bottom end, the ball striking member being pivotally connected at its top end by a pivot pin extending between the leg portions through the opening, the striking member extending substantially parallel to the legs when at rest and adapted to be pivotally moved to a position angled forwardly of the front surface of the shaft by a kicking type motion of the player''s foot upon the back surface of the striking member; and resilient means connected between the leg portions and the striking member in a position between the pivot pin and the ball striking face portion urging the striking member into the rest position so as to return the striking member to the rest position after each time it is kicked by a player.
 2. A putting device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the shaft is of an elongated rectangular shape, the striking member is of an elongated rectangular shape having a thickness substantially the same as the thickness of the shaft and, in a rest position, lying substantially co-planar with the plane of the shaft, the striking member pivotally attached near its top end portion between the leg portions by a pivot pin extending transversely of the shaft and extenDing through the leg portions and striking member to permit pivotal swinging type movement of the striking member between a rest position and a forwardly kicked swinging position.
 3. The playing device as claimed in claim 2 wherein the resilient means is a rubber band disposed about the leg portions and passing over the front and back surface of the striking member, the rubber band positioned transversely of the shaft and disposed between the axis of pivoting of the striking member and the bottom end of the striking member so as to always urge the striking member into a rest position co-planar with the shaft after being kicked by the player.
 4. The playing device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the striking member further includes a kicking member connected to the back surface of the striking member and extending substantially perpendicular thereto a short distance for engagement by a foot of the player to effect the swinging pivotal movement of the striking member.
 5. The playing device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the kicking member is cylindrical in shape and includes a kicking surface thereon formed on the outermost end of the kicking member, the kicking surface being substantially parallel to the plane of the striking member.
 6. The playing device as claimed in claim 5 further characterized by each of the leg portions having a peg of a relatively small diameter projecting longitudinally outwardly from the bottom end thereof adapted to support the playing device in a positive manner on the playing surface in a manner resisting movement of the shaft upon kicking of the striking member by the player. 